12 - Stella Maris, vocals by Anna Maria Friman of Trio Mediæval (Destroyed 2011)
Well, how do I speak about it being inspired by a 12th century plainsong? Not too many cool rock musicians are listening to 12th century sacred music. But there is a group out of Norway, that’s the woman, who sings on the record. Trio Mediaeval.
I’ve always loved the simplicity of early music and Gregorian chants and plainsong. There is just this austere simplicity that I find really comforting. So I was listening to this ‘Trio Mediaeval’ record and I basically wrote a bunch of string arrangements around their acapella recording and then went to the woman who sang it and said, 'Oh, is it possible for you to re-sing it to this arrangement that I’ve written'.
I think she was eight and a half month pregnant. So she has this little studio in her garage in Norway, she recorded the vocals, handed the recording off to her husband and then went and gave birth.
— Moby
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(vocals by Anna Maria Friman of Trio Mediæval)
[This song is based on the Catholic Latin hymn Ave Maris Stella. However, the vocals were manipulated in such a way that the words are actually unintelligible. Below is the text of the hymn and its translation.]
Latin
Ave maris stella, Dei Mater alma Atque semper virgo Felix caeli porta
Sumens illud ave Gabrielis ore Funda nos in pace Mutans Evae nomen
Solve vincla reis Profer lumen caecis Mala nostra pelle Bona cuncta posce
Monstra te esse matrem Sumat per te preces Qui pro nobis natus Tulit esse tuus
Virgo singularis Inter omnes mitis Nos culpis solutos Mites fac et castos
Vitam praesta puram Iter para tutum Ut videntes Jesum Semper collaetemur
Sit laus Deo Patri Summo Christo decus Spiritui sancto Tribus honor unus Amen.
~
English Translation
Hail, Star of the sea, Great Mother of God and always a Virgin, joyous gate of Heaven.
By welcoming that "Hail" from Gabriel's mouth, grant us peace, changing Eve's fame.
Undo wicked people's bad deeds, give light to the blind, drive away our pains, give us every good.
Show Thyself to be a Mother, let this prayer be welcomed through Thee by He who was born for us and made Himself Thy Son.
Holiest Virgin unique, among the humblest, forgive our trespasses, and make us humble and chaste.
Give us a pure life, guard our paths, let us see Jesus, always joyful.
All praise be to God the Father, to the Highest Christ, the Lord, and to the Holy Ghost, only honor to the Trinity. Amen.